History

The Old Vicarage, Gwennap, was largely constructed around a much earlier, possibly only two-room dwelling built in the early 1700s. A later parallel building was added to the east front during the Georgian period. It was further greatly extended and re-modelled during the Georgian Regency period, around 1830, creating the T-shape building as it is today. At this time the elegant front porch was built with its substantial parapet above.

The interior of the house has an abundance of period detail including ionic columns and pilasters, plaster mouldings and working window shutters. There are some thirteen remaining fireplaces, those in the ground floor Drawing Room and Music Room being used in the winter evenings providing a wonderful environment for relaxing, playing games, playing the piano or just enjoying a drink.

There have been many vicars in Gwennap. The first was Eurinus de Hellestone, priest, who was collated on 13th August 1269. The Reverend Thomas Philpots carried out most of the remodelling of the Vicarage in the 1830's. He also much enlarged the church, with its unusual detached bell tower, at around the same time. This was a time of great wealth in the parish of Gwennap when mining for tin and copper was at its peak. The parish was once described as 'the richest square mile in the old world'. Mining declined in the area soon after that, the house remaining as a vicarage until 1977 when it was sold at auction for £29,000. At that time it was in a very poor state of repair, having ten bedrooms, about double the land it has now and the adjoining coach house. The coach house was sold off in 1983.

The Old Vicarage is currently arranged as two guest bedroom suites, private accommodation and a two bedroom luxury holiday apartment. Our newest and largest suite 'The Garden Lodge' , just a few steps from the main house, was completed in Spring 2018.

The gardens comprise almost two acres of fine lawns and exotic planting.